Tuesday, 30 October 2012

There is a shift towards digital signage in the retail industry. We are experiencing more and more installation enquries for digital display and point of sale so I thought this week we'd take a look at the changing face of retail signage, and discuss what the future holds with our first guest blog.

We asked Sarah Allen, Senior Marketing Executive from Aquire Digital, a few questions about digital signage in the retail sector and how they are providing innovative digital displays.

At Acquire Digitalwe believe in
enhanced communication. We specialise in the creation and develop of
digital display solutions that contribute to improved communication and an
enhanced user experience. We provided end-to-end solutions creating both
the digital programme and content for digital interactive applications.

1)What
types of digital display do you typically supply to the retail industry?

We
develop and supply solutions such as, digital menu boards, digital point of
sale, interactive kiosks, Wayfinder solutions, and virtual receptionists which
are commonly used on digital displays such as touch-screens, kiosks, flat
screens or video walls.

2)What
are the new technologies that you feel will be used in retail in 2013?

Over
the last few years we have witnessed a huge increase in the demand for more
innovative and interactive solutions for retail environments. This can be
attributed to the advances in technology and the ever growing competition with
online retailers. More and more consumers are shopping on-line where
queues are thing of the past, so a lot of retailers are implementing a queue
management system which helps entertain waiting customers as well as manage
queues through the ‘Call forward’ system. Customers take a ticket and then wait
until the next cashier becomes available.

Because
consumers are very tech-savvy these days, many customers have almost come to
expect a certain element of digital in their shopping experience. for example
accessing product information on a touch screen or seeing promotions being
displayed on digital boards. Many retailers have started to implement
this and it is proving to be successful at increasing dwell time in shops and
increasing engagement between brands and customers.

The
latest technologies that we have started to use is Near Field Communication
(NFC), Interactivity, audience recognition and GPS location based advertising
in a bid to maximise interaction between retail brands and their consumers.

3)How
do you measure ROI on digital signage?

Many digital solutions
that we design and implement grow from a desire to increase interactivity and
engagement or to add value to the in-store customer experience. It is
therefore difficult to report on tangible, monetary ROI in relation to these
objectives. However, it is important to highlight the benefits of
providing a service to customers that is unique, memorable and one that
adds to the unrivalled experience of dealing with your business.

There is also the
investment element of installation in digital systems. The messaging and campaigns
on digital displays can be changed at any time remotely so the cost associated
with printing posters, distributing them and installation is reduced.
Instead, digital allows you to update artwork/content and deploy in to an
unlimited amount of stores world-wide in a push of button.

Our software will also
measure how many views it has received which can also record audience age and
gender for those who require specific monetary return on investment.

Many organisations have reported that the
installation of self-service kiosks or digital displays has helped to save
staff’s valuable time and therefore money. Kiosks and displays that help
customers locate places and products, or allow them to book onto activities in
a leisure park, for example, eliminate the need for staff to be on hand to do this for them.

4) How does the interactiveness of an
application impact on sales?

Interaction
between brands and consumers is hugely important and cannot be underestimated.
Consumers are tech-savvy these days and hand held devices such as tablets and iPhones
means that retail outlets are competing against the online world, where prices
comparisons can be made easily, orders can be made instantly and customers
generally serve themselves.

Interaction
provides this autonomy whether it is serving yourself, locating things for
yourself or just generally browsing at leisure. Interaction is still regarding
by most as being innovative and consumers like to see brands align themselves
with innovation and technology as it means that they are cutting-edge and forward
thinking.

5)What
typically is the life cycle of a digital project?

Hardware,
such as TVs, monitors, computers will eventually become obsolete and can break
so we always advise to check the manufacture warranty. However, software or the
Content Management systems that we build are a little different. We continually
assess and develop the technology that we provide so that our solutions remain
cutting-edge, fresh and innovative. All of our software packages are
continually being upgrades and upgrades can be made automatically over the
internet. The great thing about working with digital is that changes can
be made remotely and as often as you like meaning that solutions don’t really
have a life-cycle because tweaks, or even larger developments can be made
remotely.

Software
as a whole is an invaluable investment for advertisers and communication
managers due to the ease of making future up-grades and the adaptability of
software. Software unlike anything else is virtually future proof and can
be continually developed to satisfy client needs and objectives without the
potential risks of a lengthy and expensive overhaul of existing software
systems.

6)In
your opinion what will the next big thing in digital signage for retailers?

Near
field Communication is definitely one to look out for but I personally think
that NFC is a bit of fad, much like the QR code scanning. What I think will
really become big is the ability to integrate social media profiles into the
real world. For example, retailers that have a twitter account could
allow customers to Tweet to that account, to generally send comments,
recommendations and feedback. Shops can actually display their ‘Tweets’
in store to allow their customers to see their ‘Tweets’ on the big screen.

Ruck Ltd

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Ruck goes above and beyond the services provided by POS installation specialists and over the last 14 years has added essential new dimensions; individuals who care about your projects; relationships that inspire confidence; and dedication to delivering a high quality service.